Puppy Training Options
Belt Loop Training
Puppy training takes effort. We are happy to help. If you would like to give us the opportunity to train your little one, we'd be thrilled to spend more time with them. If, however, you want to take that task on yourself, that's great too. Let us help with that, too.. We offer free puppy training consultation for anyone that buys one of our puppies. We go over what should be learned and how to teach it at any point in the puppy's life. For those who choose to leave puppy with us for their training, we take time with you to show you step by step how we have trained your puppy and how you can have similar success at home with them.
By the time they go home after a 4 wk training time with us, they will crate through the night, sit when you put on their collar or leash, sit on command, eat on a schedule, walk like a polite puppy beside you, not attack the food bowl when you set it down (rather wait for permission to have their meal), have a great introduction to staying in the crate (even with the door open) until invited out and the dreaded POTTYING outside. We use the clicker training method and would be happy to explain how it works if you have questions. (you can also see a video under resources)
Puppy training takes effort. We are happy to help. If you would like to give us the opportunity to train your little one, we'd be thrilled to spend more time with them. If, however, you want to take that task on yourself, that's great too. Let us help with that, too.. We offer free puppy training consultation for anyone that buys one of our puppies. We go over what should be learned and how to teach it at any point in the puppy's life. For those who choose to leave puppy with us for their training, we take time with you to show you step by step how we have trained your puppy and how you can have similar success at home with them.
By the time they go home after a 4 wk training time with us, they will crate through the night, sit when you put on their collar or leash, sit on command, eat on a schedule, walk like a polite puppy beside you, not attack the food bowl when you set it down (rather wait for permission to have their meal), have a great introduction to staying in the crate (even with the door open) until invited out and the dreaded POTTYING outside. We use the clicker training method and would be happy to explain how it works if you have questions. (you can also see a video under resources)
Free Puppy Training Tips from Jordan Fines
Jordan Fines has been a personal friend of mine since 1996. Her job as a professional dog/animal (cats, rodents, bird etc) trainer has taken her to the top of the film industry's best. Her dogs have appeared in movies and shows such as: Air Buddies, Snow Buddies, Full of IT, Corner Gas, Wizard OF Oz stage production and much more. She has been flown all over the world from Canada to Japan to hold seminars and workshops.
When I asked her for some puppy training tips for first time owners she suggested the following:
When I asked her for some puppy training tips for first time owners she suggested the following:
- Socializing on many levels.Imprinting stage: imprinting is the stage of development in which the puppy learns things and those things become hardwired into their brain.
- She said that between 0-16 weeks, it is incredibly important to have the puppies meet about 100 different kinds of people; children, adults, special needs, people of different ethnic backgrounds, even people with different hair styles, beards, mannerisms and habits. This minimizes the potential issues puppies might have with new people later on in life. We do our best to have the little puppies meet as many people as possible while in our care.
- You can continue this by having friends/ or family come over, where the puppy can socialize with people. If you must take your pup to public places to socialize make sure you are in a clean area (example: bleach down an extra pen area where people can see and interact with the puppy but your pup can't walk into another dogs soiled area) This minimizes the potential issues puppies might have with new people later on in life. Also keep in mind that between 8-11 weeks your pup will be going through a "fear" period in which you should not be scaring your puppy or putting undue stress on. You should not cuddle her when she becomes startled because that will encourage the startle behaviour. She will take her cues from you, so if you don't startle at something, she'll lean on your calm behaviour to self regulate. She will look to you for guidance.
- After 16 weeks, she said it was highly important to socialize the puppy with other dogs. This will teach them "bite inhibition". Basically, that means, puppies will teach other puppies how to play nicely and not take things too far. For example, if one puppy is playing too rough, the "hurt" puppy will ignore the rough puppy. The rough puppy will learn how to soften his play, because more than anything he will want to have his playmate back. (This is especially true with doodles, because of their great social tendencies.) . However, if one puppy is being overly rough and seriously injuring another, make sure that the puppies get separated, so that the abusive behaviour does not imprint on your puppy, and possibly become an ingrained habit for the rest of his life. This behaviour has far reaching effects with the possibility of aggressive behaviour being displayed towards other animals and people.
- She also said that by around 12 weeks it is more important to socialize the puppy at this time than to be afraid of diseases that other puppies might spread. Temperaments last a lifetime and the time to develop them is NOW. The only word of caution she stated was to avoid off-leash parks at this stage in their development due to health risks. Also make sure to keep their shots up to date.
- Jordan suggested, after talking to your vet for confirmation, get your puppy into puppy classes as early as 10 -12 weeks. This is wonderful for socialization and puppy training.
- Get the puppy to know his name!
This is highly important. This can prevent accidents and other serious issues. You are the pack leader and the puppy needs to recognize you as such. Puppies need to realize that when you call their name, something good happens EVERY TIME. That may be play time, or treat time. It could be a car ride or whatever is a reward for them. BUT, puppy's names are to only be used when they are called to come. Jordan even goes as far as to suggest to have a nickname (for example Molls) for around the house and have a name for when you mean business (Molly). She even changes her tone and pitch for the name that means business. In her years of training, she has found that dog's names get used so often that the dog eventually ignores and tunes out their own name. However, when they have a name that means "come", and not just the command "come", they are significantly more likely to come when called! - Getting rid of unwanted behaviour.
Jordan's final piece of advice was "whatever you don't want your adult dog to do, do not accept as a puppy". She illustrated this point with the problem behaviour of the dog that jumps up on people. If your puppy is jumping up on you and you realize that you don't want that behaviour as an adult dog, step away and ignore the behaviour and the puppy. If the puppy continues, go into another room where the puppy cannot follow you. (This teaches them that unwanted behaviour isolates the puppy) Then, when you are ready, return to the puppy and try again. If the puppy jumps again, ignore again. Continue this until the puppy stops jumping. When the puppy stops the unwanted behaviour, go back and praise, treat and play with the puppy. It boils down to "reward good behaviour and ignore unwanted behaviour".
Jordan suggested getting your puppy into puppy classes as early as 16 weeks for socialization and puppy training.